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Before signing a deal with Death Row, 2PAC was reportedly considering signing with Bad Boy before his tragic death
According to Mopreme Shakur, 2Pac and Biggie were almost labelmates at Bad Boy Records. In an interview with The Art of Dialogue, Shakur revealed that before signing with Death Row Records in 1995, 2Pac was considering joining the highly successful East Coast imprint owned by Diddy.
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The revelation has led to speculation about what could have been if the two legendary rappers had been signed to the same label. However, their tragic deaths continue to be a reminder of the dangers of the music industry and the need to address the systemic issues that plague it.
Mopreme Shakur, in an interview with The Art of Dialogue, revealed that there was a period when 2Pac and Biggie were on good terms, and 2Pac was even considering joining Bad Boy Records before his relationship with Death Row Records. Shakur explained that 2Pac wanted to be on a Black-owned label and support Black business. However, over time, things changed, and 2Pac started seeing things differently. With Biggie being on Puffy’s label, Puffy was calling the shots, which led to legitimate problems between the two rappers. Shakur’s comments have reignited the debate about the East Coast-West Coast rivalry and the tragic deaths of two of the greatest rappers of all time.
Mopreme also revealed details about the strained friendship between 2Pac and former Thug Life member Big Stretch, who was present with the late rapper when he suffered multiple gunshot wounds in November 1994 at Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan. Tragically, Stretch was fatally shot a year later.
Mopreme explained, “Pac and Stretch were inseparable best friends. Stretch was by his side when he was shot at Quad. However, after that incident, Stretch started touring with Biggie. To anyone familiar with our group, this seemed unusual. If you were aligned with ‘Pac, you were strictly with ‘Pac. He was quite possessive in that regard. You were either with me or not. Given that ‘Pac had issues with Biggie, it didn’t sit well with him. Stretch was a big guy… But ‘Pac claimed that as soon as trouble started, Stretch took cover. It was unsettling to hear that, especially considering how much the entire family cared for Stretch.”
2Pac signed with Death Row Records after Suge Knight made his infamous visit to him at Clinton Correctional Facility in New York and posted his bail in late 1995. Although there are stories circulating about ‘Pac signing his Death Row contract on a napkin or even toilet paper, David S Ash, 2Pac’s lifelong friend who was present during the meeting, contradicted this claim in a recent interview with The Independent.
Ash clarified, “The contract was definitely drawn up on a legal pad. I vividly remember the moment when Knight and his attorney interrupted one of the rare visits I had with my friend. They drafted the entire agreement right in front of me. 2Pac conveyed his requirements to Suge, which included a car, an upfront payment of a million dollars, and a house for his mother. After reviewing the contract, 2Pac gave the green light and said, ‘Alright, let’s do this.’ That’s the moment when the Death Row deal was sealed.”
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